About Me

The owner of thewarriorlawyer.com is a fifty-something lawyer based in Makati City, Philippines. This blog was created on August 2006 and is about politics, law, life in general, death and various aspects of the human condition, as seen through the jaundiced eye of a guilty bystander. He can be reached by using the contact form below:

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56 thoughts on “About Me”

It is probably out of sheer frustration that I purposely looked up a blog… ANY BLOG… where I could give my two cents’ worth on these elections. I understand that your a fortysomething lawyer based in Makati. Well, I’m a thirtysomething lawyer working and living in Makati.

My comment is about a certain candidate for councilor who is running under the banner of the administration party; he is running against Binay’s candidates.

It’s probably borne out of a brilliant campaign strategy (nay, desperation?) that this guy has a roving jeep with a loudspeaker going around our community in San Antonio Village announcing his name and playing his campaign jingle FOR AT LEAST 16 HOURS A DAY! I have an infant daughter who is still trying to adjust to more stable sleeping patterns and this guy just about ruins it everytime!

I know that these politicians resort to cheap gimmicks because that is what clicks with the masses. These politicians sometimes forget that the crowd they are trying to attract are repulsed by their tactics; I live in a condominium in San Antonio Village with about 3,000 voters, all middle class (including their househelp who will vote according to the suggestion of their employers, especially for local candidates who are not really known anyway). The “informal settlers” this guy is trying to attract number less than 10 families within the immediate vicinity!

I decided long ago that I will not vote for this guy. Not that I’m a fan of Binay; not only is this guy an irritant and a pest, he also does not deserve my vote for being plain stupid! He doesn’t even know how to market himself without being obnoxious. This is also the sentiment of the unit owners’ association during our last meeting; seems like everyone in our condominium is aware and very much irritated with this candidate’s antics.

Come to think of it, what do they get out of being office anyway? What is so great about a job that pays maybe P10,000, P20,000 a month? I don’t even want to hear the standard crap that they want to “serve.” The question is: serve who?

a suggestion for persons 40 yrs and over
looking for employment but is unable to considering there is age,discrimination with respect to jobs. There should be a law for such persons, An equal opportunity law like in the U.S., can this be possible? Thanks!

You graduated from UP Law sometime in the late 1980s, you were once head of your fraternity which is headquartered in the 2nd floor lobby of Palma Hall, you trace your roots to Benguet, your wife is a blogger, you were married even when you were in law school, you used to drink beer heavily with someone like me once in a frequent while.

You once told me, “I used to think you shallow but I understand now — you just have a high tolerance for fools.”

Unless that’s a line you’ve been practicing on old drinking buddies, unless my web detective skills are failing, it must be you
_ _ _ s H. _ a _ _

i passed the bar two years ago. I choose private practice cause i saw it as the most challenging of all the careers lawyers can go into since it involves all aspects of law, civil, criminal etc….

The problem is my practice is not that lucrative. I am an associate in a law firm but since i am not from the city where i work i don’t have that much clients. Sometimes the law firm lets me handle some cases but mostly the pro bono ones. i want to continue practicing private law but i barely make ends meet. ( Can you believe a lawyer saying that?) I myself can’t seem to fathom why. I earn just enough for my daily expenses and i don’t have ipon. At first i was thinking heyyy it’s okay. I’m learning naman…but lately i was becoming discouraged and frustrated because i also want naman to be able to help my parents….you know, treat them somewhere nice kahit once in a while lang…..i’m thinking of applying for a job na lang in the government where at least i have sweldo monthly…. the problem is not that many open positions in the place where i work.

It’s a tough profession and not at all as glamorous as we thought it would be when we entered law school, isn’t it ?

I sympathize with your predicament, as I found myself in the same position many years ago. Being an associate is no easy task, at the bottom of the pecking order, so to speak, and in many firms there’s no defined career path. However, the experience you gain can be invaluable.

What are your options at this point?Stick it out and hope you make partner some day. This will take a lot of hard work and perseverance. And no guarantee of making it unless you have a talent for rainmaking. In which case it may be better to strike out on your own.

If you choose government service, the financial rewards may not be that great either. Your best bet would be to work for the government financial institutions like BSP, SSS, GSIS etc. which are more generous in terms of salary and perks. Did you ever consider the DFA ? Why not take the foreign service exams ? I know of many lawyers, including my brother, who chose a diplomatic career, which gives you a chance to travel and work in an interesting environment.

If you choose the private sector, you have many choices. Banks and other financial service companies, including insurance, are always looking for legal talent. Property developers also.

Here are a few tips which I hope will work for you:

1. Network; build your contacts not only among your schoolmates and fellow alumni but everywhere: the IBP, government offices, civic and church groups, even online. You never know when an opportunity will crop up. Be visible.

2. Keep learning new skills and searching out knowledge. Education is a life-long process. I myself am a human resources development practitioner which gives an added dimension to my lawyering. I also get as much short course training as possible, whether required (MCLE) or not. We have to adapt to the fast pace of change or risk being left behind.

3. Ask yourself where your interests lie and what you feel passionate about. Litigation ? Corporate work ? Public interest law ? Take it from me, it makes a difference in the long haul if you end up in an area that gives you personal fulfillment. Although it might not seem that way now, money isn’t everything.

4. Set goals. Try to define where you want to be 5 years from now, financially, professionally and in your personal life. Then think of the next five years and so on. It helps to have a clear idea of where you want to be rather than leave it to chance.

5. Nurture a spiritual life. This will sustain you in bad AND good times. Believe me, success will bring with it its own set of problems. Our relationship with a higher power may be the only true constant in our lives.

Hang in there. With hard work, prayers and a little luck (which you can make happen; luck is just preparedness meeting opportunity ), you will have a rewarding career.

Sir, just would like to invite you to attend LegalAdvantageâ„¢ Mandatory CLE Lecture Series 28 on October 16, 17, 23 and 24, 2008 at 25th Floor, Executive Lounge, Ayala Tower One & Exchange Plaza, Ayala Avenue, Makati City

Credit units earned can be applied to either the first, second or the third compliance period.
Avoid cramming in 2010, attend to your MCLE early. Promo package rate is P12,000.00
for early registrants. Regular package rate for full 36 credit units is P15,000.00.
Deadline of early registration is on August 29, 2008.

Fee is inclusive of buffet breakfast and lunch, afternoon snacks, seminar kit and handouts, Certificate of Attendance, processing of Attorney’s MCLE compliance Report and facilitation
of Certificate of Compliance with the SC-MCLE Office.

Kindly convey the schedule to your colleagues and friends. Thanks.

SCHEDULE/LECTURER/TOPIC

DAY 1 : October 16, 2008

08:00AM-10:00AM ATTORNEY KATRINA LEGARDA
Legal and Judicial Ethics
Lawyers in COnflict with the Law (2 CU)

sir, i just would like to ask what is the usual ideal age to enter law school? im 25 years of age and even though it is a lifelong dream to be a lawyer, i feel like that time has passed me already. that i should focus more in providing for my child and my business instead of chasing a lifelong dream. i give it to myself if my age is still quite young to enter law school i would pursue law school. but if not, i would just focus on making my business grow bigger.

not only is it quite cool, it made me realize that we lawyers are sorta, kinda like warriors. we face off against each other in court. our briefcases act as our armor, and our pens (ok, laptops) as our swords.

@ A DC, no hard and fast rule of when you should enter law school. I had classmates who were in their forties when we were in law school. They had ongoing careers, in both the private and public sectors, but were pursuing their dreams. I myself was already married with two kids when I passed the bar. Go for it. But be forwarned, it’s no bed of roses. Ask yourself where becoming a lawyer would fit into your career and/or business plans five years from now. Ten years from now.

@ QUICK, you are correct in saying that there are war-like aspects to law practice, particularly in zero-sum litigation. But we are also peacemakers, and bring harmony to relationships and situations. I just thought it would sound cool and macho-like to call myself a warrior-lawyer. I know it’s lame but I’m stuck with it now.

My personal opinion is that being a CPA would definitely give you an edge in corporate law practice. Financial and legal expertise would be a great skill set. But that’s another 4 years of study plus the bar. You might also want to consider taking an MBA instead.

Hi, I am living in with a lawyer for 6 years now. We have 3 daughters and my partner maintains a law office. We are living in a newly-born city somewhere in the south and he is just the 10th lawyer with a private office in town. My partner just passed the bar 4 years ago and after three years in private practice, he is experiencing this mysterious “Lull” in the profession.It all begun when a judge in the local courts had his “not-so-nice” first impression on my partner. After that, cases represented by my partner always takes the least favor. My partner’s requests,petty motions for postponments are almost always denied,and his cases are almost left out. The Judge is already in his late 50s so he had so much of the law and the lawless on his sala. Now my partner is frustrated. He says comments like closing his office which has gain some loyal clients. Its the hostility of the court thats driving him crazy without his consent. And unconsciously it has affected me and my kids. Any advises from anybody is welcome, just to ease some kind of unsolicited pain inside…..

Hi my internship is coming up this 2009 Summer. I’m planning on getting a very brutal internship before working on my thesis for the JD is PAO okay? Or would other government services involving law be better?

@ Lei Opal, tell your guy to hang in there. He shouldn’t let one judge ruin all his dreams. Advice no. 1:Tell him to try to befriend the judge’s staff. They are usually in the best persons to cull information about why the judge is behaving in a certain way. And act accordingly. Advice no. 2: He should expand his professional horizons. Lawyering is not just about trial work. There are many aspects of the law that would challenge him beyond the courtroom. Also, he should look to practice beyond your place of residence. Bring his practice to a level where he can go anywhere in the Philippines and still represent his clients effectively.

@ Chris, PAO (any DOJ department for that matter) is ok if you are interested in trial work immersion. Other interesting government offices are GFIs, i.e. BSP, SSS, GSIS etc.

@ I.S., thanks for the kind words. On who the best trial lawyers would be, on the high end, my personal opinion is the law office of Fortun & Narvasa is good. However, for a solo practitioner, I would say Atty. Abet Reyes of Marikina. He’s not well- known outside of some circles but is a tough litigator.

I took the Bar for the first time last September and expected to find work somewhere before results come out but its been months and still, no calls for jobs, just interviews at law firms that start and end there. I’ve done all that is possible to follow up. Frankly, it didn’t bother me so much but now its beginning to get depressing. I graduated from the top school (you would, I’m sure, disagree :)) and was/is itching to jump into the real world as I’m not getting any younger.

Is it really like this? No job, just wait? I’ve read your past advice and am thinking of taking the Foreign Service Exam as soon as they post it. Any suggestion would be great, really. Except that aside from the DFA, I don’t think government suits me.

@ Wide Blue Eyes, there are other opportunities open to you aside from law offices or government service. The business sector, especially major conglomerates, are always on the lookout for legal talent. The diplomatic corps is a good career choice, although not immune from the usual politicking so prevalent in government. I myself have a brother in the DFA.

When the bar results are released, I’m sure your prospects for being hired will improve. And if it’s any consolation, from my experience, it’s not the law school where you come from that determines success and fulfillment in the long run but how you capitalize on the opportunities that come your way.

My husband is also a lawyer while I am a bar flunker (hehehe). He is a government employee and is also a private practitioner. When my husband was still a new lawyer, he was about to quit his regular government employment and wanted to become a full-time private practioneer. I was glad when the Civil Service allowed goverment employees to do private practice because he can do both now.

@ Doris, that’s interesting. When I was a lawyer in government service some years back we were forbidden from handling outside work.

@ Geddy, hats off to you sir (is it ma’am ?) for being committed to serve our countrymen in the provinces. May your tribe increase and may you keep the dedicated and selfless professionalism that characterized your stint at PAO. Who knows ? Some day soon we might appear before your sala and would have the pleasure of addressing you as the Honorable Judge Geddy. Thanks for dropping by!

i stumbled upon ur website since im trying to find out more about FSO exams.
I already sent my application for this year but i wonder if it will do anything for me? because i hear its not really a sure job and you have to be well connected to the people in the government, but i really want to pursue a career in the diplomatic community and help people. but my questions are: what happens when i pass the exams? can i still study law while an fso? will the government give me a job already??

Good Day Warrior Lawyer. Since your based in Makati, I just want to ask if you know or have heard anything like this.

A girl told me on the bus about a lawyers’ kinda syndicate group in Makati involving the Top lawyers in Makati probably top in the country. That this group are very powerful and has control over some politicians including a couple of senators and personalities on both opposition and administration parties. A lot of lawyers was mentioned but one particularly famous lawyer appealed to me but I won’t tell who, the atty. was and still is a lawyer of the opposition at the same time a lawyer of the administration, a lawyer of one senator at the same time lawyer of a cabinet member.

She said these lawyers control judges, have power over DOJ, CA and SC and bend the law at will. She showed legal documents how a case was handled by the group where the ruling of the SC was opposite a precedent ruling of the SC, the cases were exactly the same. In the first case the bank was the accused and won in the SC. In the second case, where the precedent ruling was broken, the same bank which was on the first case was the on prosecution and the bank won while the petitioner in the 2nd case used the exact defense of the bank on the 1st case. She mentioned the lawyers conducted case swapping etc and even sends innocent persons to jail as fall guys. They also have big banks and companies as clients. She told me a lot of things but these were the only few that was retained..

Is this true? Do you have any ideas on this?

I can’t believe it but she has documents. She said she received threats before. Once was from lawyers of one particular senator. “Hell this is like in the movies” i said to myself. Poor girl she looked very serious with a bunch of anger in her voice. I don’t know what she wanted but I assume she was seeking justice for someone and she was voicing it out to an old man like me.

i am a new lawyer currently working in the Court of Appeals. i passed the recent bar. however,i am at a loss wer to continue to practice law. do you know any cons and pros practicing in the province? or is it much better if i practice here in NCR? or is it better for me to enter PAO or should i go straight to private practice? any advice will be very much appreciated. thank you.

i am a new lawyer,admiited to the bar in 2008. i resigned from a private law office in the province. Now, i am broken on which to choose, whether ill be a pao lawyer of a bir lawyer? i must say though that i prefer the latter, because honestly criminal cases is not my cup of tea, so to speak.

I have to decide fast because i believe my pao appointment may happen next week. Although there is nothing significant developments yet on my bir application.

i’ll take the bar this sept 2009, yet here i am surfing the net.
i don’t know if its wrong for me to feel this way, sobrang tinatamad ako mag-aral.
i don’t think being a crammer will help me with bar examinations, but what i feel is just like i am preparing for a final examination of a heartless professor.
need some words from you sir, thanks.

I need help, I am one of the victim sa Internet libel that cause a lot of people to despise me and maligned our name. I was attacked by a group and this caused my health and my peace…. Is there any lawyer that can help me figure out what to do?

i would also ask sana if you give or offer pro bono legal service or consultation,currently wala kami abogado ng father ko and we are looking for one,me sinampa kasi kaming kaso against a city mayor here in metro manila alongside with a private land developer who happens to be constructing a condominium project on our land.actually the land is on the process of being titled pa lang,though we dont have the financial capability para ma pa tituluhan ito.and yet the city goverment is claiming that land is theirs kahit natalo sila sa previous na kaso sa RTC.what we should do?as adding insult to injury,our previous lawyer was conniving and deliberately making the case slow so me and my father decided to kick him out so to speak.ano ba ang dapat namin gawin?

I am really glad i found you. I need someone to advise me on some career matters. You see I am a lawyer too, the first in the clan. Considering that I am kinda shy which gives me the appearance of being aloof, I have no one to guide me as a mentor lawyer, or no one dared to do so.

I passed the bar exam last April on my first try thanks to God. Currently I am employed in the government not related to law at all. I took the job because I was desperate for it especially that i came from a poor family and I am the sole breadwinner.My problem is that i am assigned in a rank-and-file position which I believe does not match my qualification. I accepted the job at first because there was suppose to be a training to qualify me to a higher position, unfortunately the training never came for budgetary reason. Now I am more of an errand girl than a lawyer. I tried not to use my title too, so I could face the people who knows that I am lawyer yet see me doing menial tasks. I am very disappointed with the way things are going but I cannot afford to leave my job and feed nothing to my poor parents who worked hard to send me to law school. Being an only child adds more to the cross i carry.

I really want to apply in a law firm but another problem facing me is financial. Big firms are in metro manila. We know its an expensive place to live. In addition to that most of these firms hire only graduates from established universities. I finished both my pre-law and law degrees from a small provincial school where even the lawyer-teachers have a hard time getting a good job. Everytime I mention my school, people would immediately presume I am a second/third-taker. Funny but sad actually.

I hope you will enlighten me sir on what course i should take. I will visit your site again, hopefully soon. Thank you so much.

warrior- lawyer,
i may sound as a bit dumb compared to the other senders that you’ve got it is maybe im not a law student or someone that can take an A for exams. Im only 18 years old, 2nd year college student. And when i browse your page for some research that i need in school i get so interested knowing that your a filipino too. I really want to pursue my dreams on becoming a great lawyer someday but no one keeps me motivated and inspired.
I hope that it is you. Salamat po!

i was researching on google about whether the ADR ACt of 2004 was mainly based on the US Federal Arbitration Act, and your blog came up. Would you know? I’m writing a paper on international commercial arbitration from Philippine perspective and i was using US perspective as jumping board. In my mind, this would make sense as our SC does look to US decisions as persuasive, but of course my Prof. here in the US wanted me to provide basis (an actual case or treatise that says historically why US decisions would be persuasive, and I wanted to tell her-eh sa ganun talaga! talk about ineffective advocacy!) But levity aside, I hope you can help out a fellow blogger. thanks! great site btw.

Cool! Your website, that is
I don’t have much nice feelings in the pit of my stomach when I learn that a certain person is a lawyer. I always get the impression they were invented to manipulate the law “legally”. On reading your blogs, I find, finally, someone, who seems to be forthright and honest , level headed, and is on the right side of the law I think you should run for politics. You give a very good impression of becoming an unbiased official..I also like your humor..they’re amusing without the corn.

i am a new lawyer, having passed the 2009 Bar Exams. it has been 3 months since i passed the Bar and also, 2 months of job hunting. unfortunately, of the 30 (more or less!) applications i sent to different law firms, only two of them have called me for an interview. nothing followed… and i am still jobless. it just frustrates me that the profession i have chosen is sort of beginning to test my patience. I really want to be trained in a law firm. i am not even interested about how high (or low!) the salary would be. I simply just want to gain experience. to add more pain, some law firms posting vacancies online prefer those with experience already. how in the world can new lawyers (with no experience) such as me be able to start our careers. please help… starting to feel desperate. thanks

Is it okay to ask for your opinion regarding this matter? Is it illegal for a multi purpose cooperative to charge 15% interest on loan for a period of 105 days? It is usurious since the anti usury law is said to be repealed. Chairman has changed the policy because it said to be usurious. Please enlighten me

I am a police officer in New South Wales, Australia. Is anyone aware of Video Link facilities in Philippines Courts where a witness could attend a Court in the Philippines and give evidence over audio/video link to Australia? And does anyone know who a point of contact may be to try and organise the same?

Hi! I’ve been reading your blogs for awhile now. Question though, Do you do pro-bono? I’m just very desperate regarding my current case with my employment. I graduated from UP last April and I’m currently employed in one of the big company here in the Philippines as management trainee. When I signed the contract, there’s an attached 3-year bond. If ever I decided to leave the company before 3years, I got to pay a certain amount for reciprocity of the training. Right now, I’m on my 4th month in the company and I really want to leave my job because I see no career growth for me. However, I really don’t want to pay my bond since I received no training during my stay. How can I get away with it? Thanks in advance..

Hello. Very informative (and amusing) blog. Anyway, I’m a new lawyer who has no experience whatsoever with lawyering. I was wondering if you know of any experienced lawyer eager to mentor a “young” lawyer such as myself.

I currently work for a BPO outsourcing legal work. But I really want to learn how to be a lawyer (The only things I know about lawyers and trial are the episodes I’ve watched from “Boston Legal.”)